


Wiped

by aravenwood



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo '18-20 [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Caleb Widogast Needs a Hug, Feeblemind Spell, Gen, Protective Nott | Veth Brenatto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:53:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26066050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aravenwood/pseuds/aravenwood
Summary: They find Caleb in a small, dank cell in the darkest corner of the prison, behind three different locked doors. It’s clear to Nott that they’ve put him here intentionally, an attempt to keep him so out of sight that eventually he’ll be forgotten about, left to starve and rot.Written for the Bad Things Happen Bingo prompt "troubled fetal position".
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast, Nott | Veth Brenatto & Caleb Widogast
Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo '18-20 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1892221
Comments: 2
Kudos: 83





	Wiped

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I've really been enjoying feeblemind fics as of late and wanted to try my hand at writing a very short one. Everything I know about the spell is from reading about it online so apologies for any inaccuracies.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

They find Caleb in a small, dank cell in the darkest corner of the prison, behind three different locked doors. It’s clear to Nott that they’ve put him here intentionally, an attempt to keep him so out of sight that eventually he’ll be forgotten about, left to starve and rot. It’s so similar to the jail cell she met him, with the bitter smell of cruelty and death, that her hands shake as she picks the final lock separating her from her boy.

Behind her she can hear fighting, the rest of the Nein dealing with those who had taken Caleb from them in the first place. Only Beau has accompanied her, a strategic choice on both their parts – of all the group, they are the two Caleb is most comfortable with, and the fear in Nott’s mind says that he’s going to need all of the comfort he can get after this.

The lock clicks around her tools and she barely has time to pull them out before Beau is wrenching the door open.

They almost miss him when they enter, he’s so quiet and still. Nott scans the room with panicked eyes and finally she spots him, curled up so small in one corner and staring at her with wide, fearful eyes.

Nott feels sick seeing Caleb like this, with that blank, fearful expression and his mouth opening and closing as if trying to form words which cannot reach his mind. He’s buried himself in one corner of the room, his knees curled close to his chest and his hands curled around his neck. There’s blood on his arms and face and tears in his eyes, and he’s edging closer and closer to a panic attack with each passing moment. His eyes twitch between her and Beau, his gaze dull and uncomprehending. He doesn’t seem to understand a word either of them says, if the furrowed brows every time someone speaks is any indication.

He won’t even let her touch him, just flinches away and turns his head to bury his face in his bicep.

He hasn’t been afraid of her since the jail cell.

Beau is watching them with her arms folded over her chest, but to Nott it looks a lot more like she’s hugging herself. She’s gnawing on her lower lip, looking uncharacteristically nervous. Nott’s maternal instincts are flaring, but she knows the moment she tries to comfort the monk that she’ll just pull away, defensive as ever.

Instead she says, “you know what this is, don’t you? You know what they did to my boy.”

Beau looks away, but her gaze is drawn back to Caleb a moment later. She looks so young, so afraid for the man she’s come to consider a brother. Nott is secretly a little relieved that none of their other companions is with them, for all of their sakes.

Although she wishes that they’d brought Cad or Jester. They really need a cleric right now.

“Feeblemind,” Beau says suddenly, her voice coming out harsh and croaky. She frowns and then glares at the floor, filled with self-loathing for allowing herself to sound so vulnerable.

But Nott doesn’t care about that right now. “What did you say?” she snaps, heat rising in her as she processes the word. Please don’t be what she thinks it is…

“Feeblemind,” Beau says again, her voice more steady now. When Nott doesn’t say anything, she forces her gaze to meet the goblin’s. “Nott…they took his mind.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
